3 Best Benefits of Knitting

Did you know that knitting is GOOD for you? Actually, good for you! As in a health benefit? Just think about this crazy world we live in. From the moment we get up each day, life is a rush. From waiting in lines to traffic jams, stuck elevators and cancelled business meetings, frustration runs amuck! Then we get home and there’s dinner to make, kids to drive everywhere, pets to walk, and a house to clean! Not to mention car repairs, food shopping and paying the bills. Whew!

Where is the time for something else? For something just for us? For that special hobby time? With all we do, it can almost make us feel guilty if we try and take some time for ourselves. But, go-go-go non-stop for too long and you will eventually hit the wall. Hard!

All of us have things we love to do. That we are good at. That interest us. Creative endeavors that we have been thinking about or been involved in for years. For us knitters there was always the connotation that it was just for old ladies. C’mon, Granny, grab your yarn and needles I need another sweater!

But that’s just not so! Knitting is a beautiful, old craft which has been practiced all over the world in every culture in every society. And no wonder! I can’t think of many things that fill you up so peacefully as knitting does. No wonder Granny loved to knit! She knew something we don’t.

There are definite BENEFITS to knitting. How do I know this?! Because I have benefited from every one of them. Because every chance I get, I can’t WAIT to sit down with my knitting projects and get a little more done. It’s not an obsession; it is a delight!

Knitting’s first benefit is it’s a wonderful way to step out of the craziness we encounter every day and be still. That is so important to our mental health, and to our bodies, too. Just to sit, comfortably, and work your needles, is a comfort like none other. You don’t need a pill to calm you down; just pick up your knitting and quietly create! By stepping back from the world, we are able to connect with our thoughts in ways that are not possible in the flurry of daily activity. You can’t concentrate in the midst of chaos.

Knitting’s second benefit is that it keeps us healthy! No matter how old or young you may be, you know that knitting is good for you. If you have arthritis you can pick up the bigger needles and softer yarn, and still make your favorite projects. Did you know that knitting helps to stem diseases such as dementia?! The repetitive nature of knitting helps to relax the brain and at the same time, engage your mind.

Not all knitting is this way or can lead to what some describe as “zen-like” states. But, working quietly on a pattern, and hearing the clicking of those needles, certainly has a mesmerizing effect. There is a relaxation that is produced from knitting; blood pressure and heart rate decrease, a sense of well-being permeates, and you feel content. Try that in a crowded mall!

Knitting’s third benefit is my favorite! It connects people. Knitting people. People who may have never knitted but have thought about it, or have been knitting forever! Once thought of as a very solitary endeavor, knitting doesn’t have to be like that if you don’t want it to be. There are knitting groups all over the place. Add to that, now we have social media, and you can easily meet up with many other knitters, most of whom you’ve never met before!

Just walk into a yarn shoppe or attend a fiber fest or a knitting retreat. Bet it won’t be your one and only time doing that! You will be surrounded by people with a passion! A love of knitting and all that it entails. Unlike those pesky viruses no one wants, that passion is catching, and you’ll surely want it! Knitting will become a real love!

So, what are you waiting for?! Grab some yarn and find those needles and get knitting! As always, take your knitting to heart!

P.S. Just below this post look for the little “carousel” with some of my favorite knitting novels! Immerse yourself in these wonderful stories and you’ll soon see why so many of us love to knit! See you next time!

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I love knitting! Everything about knitting! The patterns, the needles, the yarn (yum!) and of course the beautiful creations that come from my knitting needles!
I've been many things in life; secretary, waitress, virtual assistant, student, innkeeper, wife, mother and grandmother. I love all life throws at me, hey it makes you stronger! [Read More …]

I use this book over and over again. The borders and stitches here are simply sublime. I also love reading about these wonderful women and the lives they led and the passions they immersed themselves in.